Method, device and equipment for realizing multilink operation

Abstract

The invention provides a method, a device and equipment for realizing multi-link operation, relates to the technical field of communication, and is used for solving the problem that an MLO technology can be realized only when an access point and a terminal are WiFi 7 equipment in the prior art. The method is applied to an AC of a wireless network system, the wireless network system further comprises a plurality of APs, and the AC and the APs form a virtual MLD. The method comprises the following steps: controlling a plurality of APs to send complete configuration information of a virtual MLD to a terminal device; controlling the target AP to establish multi-link connection with the terminal equipment after receiving an authentication request frame and an association request frame sent by the terminal equipment; the association request frame is generated by the terminal equipment according to complete configuration information of the virtual MLD; and controlling the plurality of APs to carry out data transmission with the terminal equipment through multiple links. According to the method, the AC uniformly controls the plurality of APs to establish the multi-link connection with the terminal, and the multi-link operation can be realized without using the access point as WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communications and provides a method, device and equipment for implementing multi-link operations. Background Art

[0002] MLO (Multi-Link Operation) is a key technology in WiFi 7, which allows devices to use multiple wireless frequency bands for communication at the same time, thereby improving the efficiency, reliability and throughput of the network. MLO enables a single terminal device (Station) to establish a connection with an access point (AP) on multiple frequency bands at the same time. These frequency bands can be 2.4GHz, 5GHz or 6GHz, etc. By transmitting data in parallel on different frequency bands, the bandwidth of each frequency band can be effectively utilized, thereby significantly improving the overall data transmission rate. It can also achieve load balancing between different frequency bands, reduce congestion in a specific frequency band, and improve the stability of the entire network.

[0003] However, to implement MLO technology, the device must have the ability to coordinate and cooperate between multiple MACs, not just independent MACs. Therefore, if you want to access a WiFi 7 terminal device, the AP must also be a WiFi 7 device to implement MLO technology. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a method, apparatus and device for implementing multi-link operation, which are used to solve the problem in the prior art that both the access point and the terminal must be WiFi 7 devices to implement the MLO technology.

[0005] In a first aspect, a method for implementing a multi-link operation is provided, which is applied to a wireless controller AC of a wireless network system, wherein the wireless network system further comprises a plurality of access points AP, and the AC and the plurality of APs constitute a virtual multi-link device virtual MLD; the method comprises:

[0006] Controlling the plurality of APs to send complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to a terminal device; the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD includes link frequency bands provided by the plurality of APs;

[0007] Controlling the target AP to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device; the association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD;

[0008] Control the multiple APs to perform data transmission with the terminal device through the multi-link.

[0009] Optionally, the controlling the plurality of APs to send complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to a terminal device includes:

[0010] Controlling the multiple APs to generate beacon frames, and controlling each AP to periodically broadcast the beacon frames; the beacon frames include an identifier of the virtual MLD and a link frequency band provided by each AP;

[0011] Control the multiple APs to generate a probe response frame after receiving the probe request frame broadcast by the terminal device, and send the probe response frame to the terminal device; the probe response frame includes an identifier of the virtual MLD and a link frequency band provided by each AP.

[0012] Optionally, after receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device, the control target AP establishes a multi-link connection with the terminal device, including:

[0013] Controlling the target AP to send an authentication reply frame to the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame sent by the terminal device;

[0014] Control the target AP to send an association reply frame to the terminal device after receiving the association request frame sent by the terminal device, so that the terminal device establishes a multi-link connection with multiple APs according to the link allocation information in the association reply frame; the association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD after determining that the authentication is successful according to the authentication reply frame.

[0015] Optionally, the multilink includes a main link; and controlling the plurality of APs to perform data transmission with the terminal device through the multilink includes:

[0016] receiving a plurality of first data packets that the APs are ready to send to the terminal devices;

[0017] If it is determined that the main link is in an available state and the data volume of the first data packet is less than or equal to the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, the first data packet is sent to the main AP where the main link is located, and the main AP is controlled to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the main link.

[0018] Optionally, the multi-link further includes a secondary link, and a secondary AP where the secondary link is located has a virtual synchronization interface; after receiving a first data packet that the multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, the method further includes:

[0019] If it is determined that the main link is in an available state, and the data volume of the first data packet is greater than the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, splitting the first data packet into a first sub-packet and a second sub-packet;

[0020] Sending the first sub-packet to the master AP, and controlling the master AP to transmit the first sub-packet to the terminal device through the main link;

[0021] The second sub-packet is sent to the secondary AP, the secondary AP is controlled to transmit the second sub-packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, and the secondary AP is controlled to notify the primary AP of the sending result of the second sub-packet through the virtual synchronization interface.

[0022] Optionally, after receiving the first data packets that the multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, the method further includes:

[0023] If it is determined that the duration for which the primary link is in an unavailable state exceeds a preset duration, sending the first data packet to the secondary AP;

[0024] Control the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link.

[0025] Optionally, after receiving the first data packets that the multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, the method further includes:

[0026] If it is determined that the duration of the primary link being in the unavailable state does not exceed the preset duration, sending the first data packet to the primary AP, and controlling the primary AP to forward the first data packet to the virtual synchronization interface of the secondary AP;

[0027] Control the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, and control the secondary AP to notify the primary AP of the sending result of the first data packet through the virtual synchronization interface.

[0028] Optionally, after controlling the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, the method further includes:

[0029] After the secondary AP receives the second data packet sent by the terminal device, the second data packet is controlled to be forwarded to the primary AP through the virtual synchronization interface.

[0030] In a second aspect, a device for implementing multi-link operation is provided, which is arranged in a wireless controller AC of a wireless network system, wherein the wireless network system further comprises a plurality of access points AP, wherein the AC and the plurality of APs constitute a virtual multi-link device virtual MLD; the device comprises:

[0031] A control module, used for controlling the multiple APs to send the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to the terminal device; the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD includes the link frequency bands provided by the multiple APs; controlling the target AP to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device; the authentication request frame and the association request frame are generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD; controlling the multiple APs to transmit data with the terminal device through the multi-link.

[0032] In a third aspect, the present application provides a computer device, which includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the method for implementing the multi-link operation described in the first aspect.

[0033] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and a processor executes the computer program to implement the method for implementing the multi-link operation described in the first aspect.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0035] The present application provides a method for implementing multi-link operation, which is applied to a wireless controller AC of a virtual multi-link device virtual MLD, wherein the virtual MLD also includes multiple access points AP; the method includes: controlling multiple APs to send complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to a terminal device; the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD includes link frequency bands provided by multiple APs; controlling a target AP to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device after receiving an authentication request frame and an association request frame sent by the terminal device; the association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD; and controlling multiple APs to perform data transmission with the terminal device through multi-link.

[0036] In this application, multiple APs are centrally managed and controlled by an AC, so that multiple APs can establish connections with terminal devices in different frequency bands and perform multi-link data transmission. For the terminal device, it does not perceive that a multi-link connection is established with multiple independent APs. It will think that a multi-link connection is established with a virtual MLD. Even if a single AP is not a WIFI7 device and does not have the native multi-link support capability of WiFi 7, it can realize multi-link operation MLO across multiple APs, thereby improving the connection reliability and network performance of the terminal device; and through centralized resource management, it simplifies network operation and maintenance and improves overall network efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only the embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0038] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of MLO in the prior art;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an application scenario of MLO provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method for implementing multi-link operation provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the original AP software architecture;

[0042] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a new software architecture provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a virtual MLD provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a device for implementing multi-link operation provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiment of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiment is only a part of the embodiment of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other arbitrarily. In addition, although the logical order is shown in the flow chart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be performed in an order different from that here.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the application scenario of MLO in the prior art. Two links, Link 1 and Link 2, are established between the terminal device (Station) and the access point (AP). MLO technology aggregates data streams from different frequency bands to form a logical high-speed connection. The system can automatically select the optimal frequency band combination according to the current network conditions and dynamically adjust the data traffic on each link. If the quality of a frequency band decreases, MLO supports the rapid transfer of part or all of the traffic to other available frequency bands to ensure uninterrupted service. However, both the access point and the terminal must be WiFi7 devices to implement MLO technology.

[0047] In view of this, the embodiment of the present application provides a method for implementing multi-link operation. Figure 2 , is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of MLO provided in an embodiment of the present application. The application scenario includes a centralized wireless controller (Access Controller, AC), multiple access points (APs) and terminal devices, Figure 1 It is taken as an example that the multiple access points include access point 1 and access point 2, but in fact, the number of the multiple access points is not limited.

[0048] AC and multiple APs together form a virtual multi-link device (MLD) for multi-link communication of terminal devices. Each AP supports an independent wireless link, and AC is used to uniformly manage the link status, resource allocation, and data forwarding logic of multiple APs. Under the control of AC, link 1 is established between access point 1 in the virtual MLD and the terminal device, and link 2 is established between access point 2 in the virtual MLD and the terminal device.

[0049] The AC and the AP are connected by wire, and multiple APs are also connected by wire. In a possible embodiment, one AP can be selected from multiple APs to serve as the AC.

[0050] based on Figure 2 The application scenario shown below Figure 3 A method for implementing a multi-link operation is described below. The method can be executed by an AC in a virtual MLD.

[0051] S301. Control multiple APs to send complete configuration information of a virtual MLD to a terminal device.

[0052] The complete configuration information includes the link frequency band provided by each AP, and the link frequency bands provided by each AP may be the same or different. For example, AP1 provides a 2.4 GHz link, and AP2 provides a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz link.

[0053] In a possible embodiment, the AC can control multiple APs to generate beacon frames and control each AP to broadcast beacon frames periodically; the beacon frames include the identifier of the virtual MLD and the link frequency band provided by each AP; the AC can also control multiple APs to generate probe response frames after receiving the probe request frames broadcast by the terminal device, and send the probe response frames to the terminal device; the probe response frames include the identifier of the virtual MLD and the link frequency band provided by each AP.

[0054] In the specific implementation process, under the control of the AC, each AP can generate a beacon frame (Beacon frame) and broadcast its own beacon frame periodically. Each beacon frame includes a service set identifier (Service Set Identifier, SSID) and multi-link basic information (Multi-Link Element). The SSID in the beacon frames broadcast by multiple APs of the same virtual MLD is the same, for example, all are TestWiFi_MLD, which means that these multiple APs belong to the same network. The multi-link basic information includes the identifier of the multi-link device (MLD ID) and the link frequency band provided by each AP. The MLD ID in the beacon frames broadcast by multiple APs of the same virtual MLD is the same, which means that these multiple APs belong to the same virtual MLD.

[0055] The terminal device can actively broadcast a Probe Request frame to inquire whether the surrounding network supports virtual MLD. Under the control of the AC, each AP generates a Probe Response frame after receiving the Probe Request frame and sends the Probe Response frame to the terminal device respectively. Each Probe Response frame includes the SSID and multi-link basic information. The multi-link basic information includes the MLD ID and the link frequency band provided by each AP.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present application, the AC abstracts different APs into a unified virtual MLD by generating broadcast frames (such as Beacon and ProbeResponse) containing multi-link capabilities, so that the terminal device can select and establish a multi-link connection. The terminal device performs channel scanning in multiple different bands, including passively received beacon frames and actively scanned probe request frames, and finally obtains the channel information of the candidate AP. Although multiple APs are independent devices, because the channel resources of multiple APs are under the control of the AC, the beacon frames or probe response frames sent by different APs carry the same MLD ID and the link frequency band provided by each AP. Therefore, the terminal device can obtain the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD. Although this information comes from different APs, it does not affect the establishment process of MLO for the terminal device.

[0057] S302: After receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device, the target AP is controlled to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device.

[0058] The association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD.

[0059] In a possible embodiment, the AC can control the target AP to send an authentication reply frame to the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame sent by the terminal device; control the target AP to send an association reply frame to the terminal device after receiving the association request frame sent by the terminal device, so that the terminal device establishes a multi-link connection with multiple APs according to the link allocation information in the association reply frame; the association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD after determining that the authentication is successful according to the authentication reply frame.

[0060] In the specific implementation process, after obtaining the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD, the terminal device selects one of the links as the associated link and initiates the authentication request and association request. In the authentication phase, the terminal device can generate an authentication request frame (Authentication Request frame) based on its own device information. The authentication request frame contains the necessary information for the terminal device to authenticate its identity and sends it to the target AP of the associated link. Under the control of the AC, after receiving the authentication request frame sent by the terminal device, the target AP will verify the identity of the terminal device according to the protocol rules (such as open authentication or password-based authentication, etc.), and send the authentication response frame (Authentication Response frame) containing the verification result to the terminal device. If the terminal device determines that the authentication is successful based on the authentication response frame, it enters the association phase.

[0061] In the association phase, the terminal device can generate an Association Request frame based on the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD. The Association Request frame includes the AP information and frequency band information of the multiple links requested for association, and sends it to the target AP of the association link. Under the control of the AC, after receiving the Association Request frame sent by the terminal device, the target AP can reject some of the multiple links, accept only some of the multiple links, and reply to the terminal device with an Association Response frame. The Association Response frame includes link allocation information. The link allocation information refers to the link information accepted and rejected in the multiple links requested for association, which is a link set (Multi-link Set) composed of link information of other APs. Finally, the terminal device performs multi-link settings only on the accepted multi-links according to the link allocation information, and establishes multi-link connections with multiple APs.

[0062] The original AP software architecture is as follows Figure 4 As shown in the figure, in the original AP software design, the MAC part of the AP is independent, especially the resource management module (Resource mgr) only needs to manage the device and its associated terminal devices. The connection establishment or removal of the terminal device and channel control are all controlled by the AP software itself, that is, the resource management module (Resource mgr) of each AP is executed.

[0063] New software architecture such as Figure 5 As shown, the resource management modules in multiple AP software are moved to the software architecture of AC. The resource management modules in AP are no longer used as decision modules. The resource management module driver part (Resource mgrDriver part) of AP only needs to execute the instructions issued by the resource management module AC part (Resource mgr AC part) of AC, and upload the instructions received from the terminal device to the resource management module AC part of AC. The resource management module AC part of AC uniformly controls various management frames of multiple APs, such as beacon frames, probe request frames, probe response frames, authentication request frames, authentication response frames, association request frames, association response frames, etc., to realize MLO between terminal devices and multiple APs of virtual MLD.

[0064] S303: Control multiple APs to perform data transmission with terminal devices via multiple links.

[0065] In the specific implementation process, under the control of the AC, after multiple APs establish multi-link connections with terminal devices, the AC can determine the main link and the secondary link from the multi-links. For example, the associated link can be used as the main link, and the target AP where the associated link is located can be used as the main AP where the main link is located. Some signaling interaction frames are sent and received through the main link. There can be one or more secondary links, which are only used to send and receive data packets. There is a virtual synchronization interface on the secondary AP where the secondary link is located, which can forward data from the terminal device or the main AP.

[0066] When there are multiple secondary links, the AC can set the priorities of the multiple secondary links based on any indicator such as bandwidth, delay, packet loss, etc. For example, the multiple secondary links are prioritized in descending order of link bandwidth, or the multiple secondary links are prioritized in ascending order of delay time, or the multiple secondary links are prioritized in ascending order of packet loss rate.

[0067] The network interface of virtual MLD is set on the master AP where the main link is located, and all routing-related operations are performed by the master AP. In this way, the implementation of AC is relatively simple, and there is no need to determine the routing of data packets based on conditions. All packets are directly transferred to the master AP. The secondary AP does not need to add additional routes. All data packets from MLD terminal devices are directly transferred to the master AP through the virtual synchronization interface. Whether it is the main AP or the secondary AP, it can be compatible with the access and connection of the original device (non-MLD device).

[0068] Considering that the network interface of the virtual MLD is only in the master AP of the main link, the sending and receiving status, such as the sending block confirmation (TX Block Ack) and receiving window (Rx Window) information, must be synchronized between different APs. Multiple APs also need to synchronize TX Block Ack and Rx Window information between the main link and the secondary link, because the logical TIDs of the data paths of different APs are the same. Therefore, in a possible embodiment, a new logic module is added to each AP, and the sending status and receiving buffer of the data can be exchanged between the logical modules of each AP. Normal WIFI data messages are transmitted sequentially. Between two different APs in the virtual MLD, the sending side needs to synchronize the sending success or failure mark, and the receiving side needs to synchronize the sequence number of the received message, so as to ensure the sequentiality of the sending and receiving buffers.

[0069] In a possible embodiment, the AC receives a first data packet that multiple APs are ready to send to a terminal device; if it is determined that the main link is in an available state and the data volume of the first data packet is less than the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, the first data packet is sent to the main AP, and the main AP is controlled to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the main link.

[0070] In the specific implementation process, multiple APs upload the first data packets to be sent to the terminal device to the AC, and the AC can detect the status of multiple links in real time, such as signal strength, packet loss rate, delay, etc. If the signal strength of the main link is greater than or equal to the preset strength, and the packet loss rate of the main link is less than or equal to the preset packet loss rate, and the delay of the main link is less than or equal to the preset time, it can be determined that the main link is in an available state. It is further determined whether the data volume of the first data packet is less than or equal to the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link. If so, it means that the main link is not saturated and can carry the complete first data packet, then the first data packet is sent to the main AP, and then the main AP transmits the first data packet to the terminal device through the main link.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present application, the AC dynamically determines whether the main link is available based on the link status to ensure the reliability of the main link. When the data volume is small and the bandwidth of the main link is sufficient, the first data packet is directly sent to the main AP where the main link is located. The large bandwidth and stability of the main link can be fully utilized to reduce network congestion, improve transmission reliability and efficiency, and improve the response speed of the terminal device and user experience.

[0072] In a possible embodiment, after receiving the first data packet that multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, if it is determined that the main link is in an available state and the data volume of the first data packet is greater than the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, the AC splits the first data packet into a first sub-packet and a second sub-packet; sends the first sub-packet to the main AP, and controls the main AP to transmit the first sub-packet to the terminal device through the main link; sends the second sub-packet to the secondary AP where the secondary link is located, controls the secondary AP to transmit the second sub-packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, and controls the secondary AP to notify the main AP of the sending result of the second sub-packet through the virtual synchronization interface.

[0073] In the specific implementation process, after determining that the main link is in an available state, if it is determined that the data volume of the first data packet is greater than the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, it means that the main link is saturated and cannot carry the complete first data packet. The first data packet can be split into a first sub-packet and a second sub-packet, and a sequence number is added to the first sub-packet and the second sub-packet. The size of each sub-packet can be determined according to the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link and the secondary link and the actual transmission situation. The main AP transmits the first sub-packet to the terminal device through the main link, and the secondary AP transmits the second sub-packet to the terminal device through the secondary link with the highest priority, and notifies the main AP of the sending result of the second sub-packet through the virtual synchronization interface, so that the main AP knows whether the second sub-packet is sent successfully or failed. If the second sub-packet fails to be sent, the AC can control the main AP to forward the second sub-packet to the secondary AP where another secondary link is located according to the priority of multiple secondary links, and transmit the second sub-packet through another secondary link. The terminal device can correctly reassemble the first sub-packet and the second sub-packet into the first data packet according to the sequence number.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present application, when a large amount of data needs to be sent to a terminal device, by dividing the data packets and transmitting them through the main link and the secondary link respectively, link load balancing can be effectively achieved to avoid overloading the main link. At the same time, the transmission capacity of the secondary link is also utilized to improve the overall network throughput.

[0075] In a possible embodiment, after receiving the first data packet that multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, if the AC determines that the duration for which the main link is in an unavailable state exceeds a preset duration, the AC sends the first data packet to the secondary AP; and controls the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device via the secondary link.

[0076] In the specific implementation process, if the signal strength of the main link is less than the preset strength, or the packet loss rate of the main link is greater than the preset packet loss rate, or the delay of the main link is greater than the preset time, it can be determined that the main link is in an unavailable state. It is further determined whether the duration of the main link being in an unavailable state exceeds the preset duration. If so, it means that the main link has completely failed and will switch to the secondary link with the highest priority for data transmission. When there are multiple secondary links, the AC can select the secondary link with the highest priority as the new main link based on the priorities of the multiple secondary links. The first data packet arriving at the AC will be transmitted to the new main link (the secondary link with the highest priority) by default, and transmitted to the terminal device through the new main link (the secondary link with the highest priority).

[0077] In the embodiment of the present application, when the primary link is unavailable and the duration exceeds the preset tolerance duration, the secondary link is promptly switched to transmit data through the secondary link, which can ensure the continuous and stable operation of the network. This mechanism can improve the fault tolerance of the network, reduce the impact of faults on data transmission, enhance the reliability and stability of the network, and provide a better experience for end users.

[0078] In a possible embodiment, after receiving the first data packet that multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, if it is determined that the duration that the main link is in an unavailable state does not exceed a preset duration, the AC sends the first data packet to the main AP, and controls the main AP to forward the first data packet to the virtual synchronization interface of the secondary AP; controls the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, and controls the secondary AP to notify the main AP of the sending result of the first data packet through the virtual synchronization interface.

[0079] In the specific implementation process, after determining that the main link is unavailable, if it is determined that the duration of time that the main link is in an unavailable state exceeds a preset duration, it means that the main link is only temporarily unavailable, and the first data packet is forwarded to the secondary AP where the secondary link with the highest priority is located. The virtual synchronization interface of the secondary AP can receive the first data packet transferred by the main link, and transmit it to the secondary link with the highest priority, and then transmit it to the terminal device via the secondary link with the highest priority. The sending result of the first data packet is notified to the main AP through the virtual synchronization interface, so that the main AP knows whether the first data packet is sent successfully or failed. If the first data packet fails to be sent, the AC can control the main AP to forward the first data packet to the secondary AP where another secondary link is located according to the priorities of multiple secondary links, and transmit the first data packet through another secondary link.

[0080] In an embodiment of the present application, when the primary link is temporarily unavailable, the primary AP transfers the data of the primary link to the secondary link, uses the secondary link to quickly transmit data, reduces the impact on the terminal device, and ensures uninterrupted data transmission.

[0081] In a possible embodiment, after the AC controls the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, the AC controls the secondary AP to forward the second data packet to the primary AP through the virtual synchronization interface after receiving the second data packet sent by the terminal device.

[0082] In the specific implementation process, after the terminal device receives the first data packet sent by the secondary AP, it generates a second data packet based on the first data packet, sends the second data packet to the secondary AP through the secondary link, and the secondary AP forwards the second data packet to the receiving buffer in the main AP through the virtual synchronization interface. Each AP has a receiving buffer for storing received data. The main AP completes the integration of received data to ensure the integrity and continuity of the data stream.

[0083] In summary, in this application, there is a virtual synchronization interface on the secondary AP where each secondary link is located. The virtual synchronization interface mainly has the following three functions:

[0084] 1. Data packets that the primary AP cannot send temporarily or cannot be sent due to insufficient bandwidth can be transferred to the secondary AP through the virtual synchronization interface.

[0085] 2. All data packets received by the secondary AP from the terminal are transferred to the primary AP, which performs routing operations.

[0086] 3. The results of sending data packets and the sequence numbers of received data packets need to be synchronized to the primary AP and the secondary AP in both directions, so that both sides can know the status of sending and receiving and can back up each other at any time.

[0087] In a possible embodiment, after the AC controls the main AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the main link, the AC controls the main AP to upload the second data packet to the AC after receiving the second data packet sent by the terminal device.

[0088] During the specific implementation process, the terminal device receives a first data packet sent by the main AP and generates a second data packet based on the first data packet, or the terminal device receives a first sub-packet sent by the main AP and a second sub-packet sent by the secondary AP, combines the first sub-packet and the second sub-packet into a first data packet according to the sequence number, generates a second data packet based on the first data packet, sends the second data packet to the main AP through the main link, and the main AP uploads the second data packet to the AC, which determines the subsequent routing.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the virtual MLD provided in the embodiment of the present application. The primary AP is the AP where the primary link is located, the secondary AP is the AP where the secondary link is located, the IP address in the primary AP refers to the network interface of the virtual MLD, and the virtual IP in the secondary AP refers to the virtual synchronization interface. In order to achieve synchronization of the send / receive buffer (Tx / Rx buffer), the primary AP and the secondary AP are connected via a network socket.

[0090] The following example illustrates a method for implementing a multi-link operation provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0091] Background conditions: AP1 provides a 2.4 GHz link; AP2 provides 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz links; Station supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz links.

[0092] The ultimate goal is to establish three links: AP1's 2.4 GHz → Station's 2.4 GHz; AP2's 2.4 GHz → Station's 2.4 GHz; AP2's 5 GHz → Station's 5 GHz.

[0093] S1.1. Beacon broadcast.

[0094] AP1 broadcasts Beacon, including SSID and Multi-Link Element, where SSID is TestWiFi_VirtualMLD; Multi-Link Element provides Virtual MLD ID=1, indicating the existence of a virtual multi-link device, and notifies the links it supports, such as Link 1: 2.4GHz (channel 6).

[0095] AP2 broadcasts Beacon, including SSID and Multi-Link Element, where SSID is TestWiFi_virtual MLD, and Multi-Link Element provides virtual MLD ID=1, indicating that it belongs to the same virtual MLD as AP1, and announces the links it supports, such as link 2: 2.4 GHz (channel 6); link 3: 5 GHz (channel 36).

[0096] 2. Probe Request / Response.

[0097] The station sends a Probe Request to inquire whether the surrounding networks support virtual MLD.

[0098] AP1 and AP2 respond to the Probe Request respectively, where the Probe Response of AP1 is as follows: SSID: TestWiFi_VirtualMLD; Multi-Link Element: Support Link 1 (2.4GHz).

[0099] The Probe Response of AP2 is as follows: SSID: TestWiFi_VirtualMLD; Multi-Link Element: supports link 2 (2.4GHz) and link 3 (5GHz).

[0100] Through the above steps, the Station obtains the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD and determines its ability to support three links.

[0101] 1.3. Authentication and Association.

[0102] The station initiates Authentication and Association to the virtual MLD. The Association Request contains Multi-Link Element: requesting link 1 (AP1, 2.4 GHz); requesting link 2 (AP2, 2.4 GHz); and requesting link 3 (AP2, 5 GHz).

[0103] AP1 and AP2 respond to the Association Request respectively. AP1 agrees to the association request of link 1. AP2 agrees to the association requests of link 2 and link 3 and synchronizes the results to the AC.

[0104] Finally, the Station successfully establishes three-link connections with the virtual MLD, as shown below:

[0105] Link 1: 2.4 GHz of AP1; Link 2: 2.4 GHz of AP2; Link 3: 5 GHz of AP2.

[0106] S1.4. Data transmission configuration.

[0107] First, the AC allocates resources and loads, and uses link 3 (5 GHz of AP2) as the primary link for high-throughput traffic. Links 1 and 2 are used as secondary links for load balancing and redundant transmission.

[0108] Then, the Station starts multi-link transmission, and the upper layer protocol stack of the Station regards all links as a single logical interface. Data flows are dynamically allocated between links according to the scheduling rules of the AC.

[0109] The implementation method of the multi-link operation provided in the embodiment of the present application is applicable to various application scenarios such as roaming optimization, link signal enhancement, spectrum load balancing, etc. These application scenarios are introduced below.

[0110] The first scenario: roaming optimization.

[0111] Background: In traditional micro-cellular architecture, roaming switching of terminal devices will cause brief interruptions, affecting user experience, especially in real-time applications such as voice calls or video conferencing.

[0112] Solution:

[0113] 1. Multi-link state sharing: The AC collects the link states of all APs, including channel information, signal strength, and interference. Each AP's Beacon broadcasts a Multi-Link element containing a virtual MLD. When roaming, the terminal device considers that all links belong to the same virtual MLD.

[0114] 2. Fast switching mechanism: When the terminal device detects that the primary link signal is weakened, the AC immediately coordinates the access of the secondary link and completes the fast switching. During the switching process, the AC synchronously transfers the data receiving buffer to ensure that the traffic is not interrupted.

[0115] 3. Multi-link access pre-configuration: When the terminal connects to the primary link, the AC pre-allocates resources for the secondary link and keeps the connection active in the background.

[0116] The second scenario: link signal enhancement.

[0117] Background issue: The wireless network environment is complex, and channel interference, physical obstruction, etc. will reduce the link signal quality and affect data transmission.

[0118] Solution:

[0119] 1. Real-time link monitoring: AC continuously monitors the signal strength, packet loss rate and latency of all links. Once the signal of a link drops below the threshold, the link enhancement strategy is triggered.

[0120] 2. Dynamic resource adjustment: Allocate more bandwidth to the interfered link (for example, upgrade from 20MHz to 40MHz). If the primary link is severely interfered, switch to the secondary link with less interference.

[0121] 3. Multi-link redundant transmission: When the signal quality is critical, the multi-link redundant mode is turned on, and data is transmitted on the primary link and the secondary link at the same time to improve transmission reliability.

[0122] The third scenario: spectrum load balancing.

[0123] Background: In high-density environments (such as conference rooms and stadiums), certain frequency bands (such as 2.4GHz) are prone to congestion.

[0124] Solution:

[0125] 1. Link load monitoring: The AC collects the traffic utilization, number of active devices, and interference of each frequency band in real time.

[0126] 2. Dynamic traffic allocation: prioritize high-throughput traffic to idle links, and allocate low-priority traffic (such as background synchronization) to more congested links.

[0127] 3. Load prediction and scheduling: Predict load peaks based on historical traffic trends and reserve spectrum resources in advance. Use MLO technology to distribute traffic among multiple links to avoid overloading a single link.

[0128] In the existing technology, the various advantages of multi-link operation (MLO) can only be achieved when both the AP side and the terminal side are WiFi 7 devices. At the same time, since WiFi AP has always been a micro-cellular architecture, its advantages of intelligent scheduling and seamless switching cannot be brought into play when the terminal is roaming, wasting the advanced features of WiFi 7.

[0129] In summary, the embodiment of the present application provides a method for implementing multi-link operation, and the configuration of all access points (APs) can be completed through a central controller (AC), which simplifies network deployment and maintenance. Multiple APs coordinate the content of Beacon and Probe Response through AC, so that terminal devices can perceive the virtual multi-link capabilities provided by multiple APs and establish multi-link connections. AC can monitor the resource usage of all links, provide real-time link status information, and dynamically adjust the roles of the main link and the secondary link when the terminal roams or the link switches, to ensure that the user can smoothly switch to an AP with a stronger signal during movement and maintain the continuity of the connection. Based on the collaborative operation of multiple APs, AC can dynamically assign users to different APs to avoid overloading some APs and affecting the overall network performance. It can distribute data traffic among multiple links through a load balancing algorithm to optimize the utilization of spectrum resources. It can also give priority to links with lower interference or lower utilization for data transmission based on the real-time network status.

[0130] In summary, the implementation method of multi-link operation provided in the embodiment of the present application is highly compatible with the characteristics of WiFi 7MLO in terms of roaming and load balancing. As long as the terminal device is a WiFi 7 device with multi-link capability, even if the AP device does not have WiFi 7 characteristics, it can still be technically combined with the characteristics of MLO to achieve its advantages.

[0131] Based on the same inventive concept, Figure 7As shown, the embodiment of the present application also provides a device for implementing multi-link operation, which is set in a wireless controller AC of a wireless network system, wherein the wireless network system also includes multiple access points AP, and the AC and the multiple APs constitute a virtual multi-link device virtual MLD; the device includes:

[0132] A control module, used for controlling the multiple APs to send the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to the terminal device; the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD includes the link frequency bands provided by the multiple APs; controlling the target AP to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device; the authentication request frame and the association request frame are generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD; controlling the multiple APs to transmit data with the terminal device through the multi-link.

[0133] It should be noted that each module in the device for implementing multi-link operation in this embodiment corresponds one-to-one to each step in the method for implementing multi-link operation in the aforementioned embodiment. Therefore, the specific implementation of this embodiment can refer to the implementation of the aforementioned method for implementing multi-link operation, which will not be repeated here.

[0134] In addition, in one embodiment, the present application also provides a computer device, which includes a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory, and the computer program implements the aforementioned multi-link operation implementation method when executed by the processor.

[0135] In addition, in one embodiment, the present application further provides a computer storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method for implementing the aforementioned multi-link operation is implemented.

[0136] In some embodiments, the computer readable storage medium may be a memory such as FRAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, magnetic surface memory, optical disk, or CD-ROM; or various devices including one or any combination of the above memories. The computer may be various computing devices including intelligent terminals and servers.

[0137] In some embodiments, executable instructions may be in the form of a program, software, software module, script or code, written in any form of programming language (including compiled or interpreted languages, or declarative or procedural languages), and may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.

[0138] As an example, executable instructions may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system, may be stored as part of a file that stores other programs or data, such as in one or more scripts in a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document, in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files storing one or more modules, subroutines, or code portions).

[0139] By way of example, executable instructions may be deployed to be executed on one computing device, or on multiple computing devices located at one site, or on multiple computing devices distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

[0140] It should be noted that, in this article, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or system including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or system. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "comprises a ..." does not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or system including the element.

[0141] The serial numbers of the embodiments of the present application are for description only and do not indicate the advantages or disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0142] Through the description of the above implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course, by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium (such as a read-only memory / random access memory, a disk, or an optical disk), and includes a number of instructions for enabling the camera device to execute the methods described in each embodiment of the present application.

[0143] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for implementing multi-link operation, characterized in that: In a wireless controller AC applied to a wireless network system, the wireless network system further includes a plurality of access points AP, the AC and the plurality of APs constitute a virtual multi-link device virtual MLD; the method includes: Controlling the plurality of APs to send complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to a terminal device; the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD includes link frequency bands provided by the plurality of APs; Controlling the target AP to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device; the association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD; Control the multiple APs to perform data transmission with the terminal device through the multi-link.

2. The method for implementing multi-link operation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controlling the plurality of APs to send the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to the terminal device includes: Controlling the multiple APs to generate beacon frames, and controlling each AP to periodically broadcast the beacon frames; the beacon frames include an identifier of the virtual MLD and a link frequency band provided by each AP; Control the multiple APs to generate a probe response frame after receiving the probe request frame broadcast by the terminal device, and send the probe response frame to the terminal device; the probe response frame includes an identifier of the virtual MLD and a link frequency band provided by each AP.

3. The method for implementing multi-link operation according to claim 1, characterized in that: After receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device, the control target AP establishes a multi-link connection with the terminal device, including: Controlling the target AP to send an authentication reply frame to the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame sent by the terminal device; Control the target AP to send an association reply frame to the terminal device after receiving the association request frame sent by the terminal device, so that the terminal device establishes a multi-link connection with multiple APs according to the link allocation information in the association reply frame; the association request frame is generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD after determining that the authentication is successful according to the authentication reply frame.

4. The method for implementing multi-link operation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-link includes a main link; and controlling the plurality of APs to perform data transmission with the terminal device through the multi-link includes: receiving a plurality of first data packets that the APs are ready to send to the terminal devices; If it is determined that the main link is in an available state and the data volume of the first data packet is less than or equal to the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, the first data packet is sent to the main AP where the main link is located, and the main AP is controlled to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the main link.

5. The method for implementing multi-link operation as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The multi-link also includes a secondary link, and a secondary AP where the secondary link is located has a virtual synchronization interface; After receiving the first data packets that the multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, the method further includes: If it is determined that the main link is in an available state, and the data volume of the first data packet is greater than the maximum transmission bandwidth of the main link, splitting the first data packet into a first sub-packet and a second sub-packet; Sending the first sub-packet to the master AP, and controlling the master AP to transmit the first sub-packet to the terminal device through the main link; The second sub-packet is sent down to the secondary AP, the secondary AP is controlled to transmit the second sub-packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, and the secondary AP is controlled to notify the primary AP of the sending result of the second sub-packet through the virtual synchronization interface.

6. The method for implementing multi-link operation as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: After receiving the first data packets that the multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, the method further includes: If it is determined that the duration for which the primary link is in an unavailable state exceeds a preset duration, sending the first data packet to the secondary AP; Control the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link.

7. The method for implementing multi-link operation as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: After receiving the first data packets that the multiple APs are ready to send to the terminal device, the method further includes: If it is determined that the duration of the primary link being in the unavailable state does not exceed the preset duration, sending the first data packet to the primary AP, and controlling the primary AP to forward the first data packet to the virtual synchronization interface of the secondary AP; The secondary AP is controlled to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, and the secondary AP is controlled to notify the primary AP of the sending result of the first data packet through the virtual synchronization interface.

8. The method for implementing multi-link operation as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that: After controlling the secondary AP to transmit the first data packet to the terminal device through the secondary link, the method further includes: After the secondary AP receives the second data packet sent by the terminal device, the second data packet is controlled to be forwarded to the primary AP through the virtual synchronization interface.

9. A device for implementing multi-link operation, characterized in that: The device is arranged in a wireless controller AC of a wireless network system, wherein the wireless network system further comprises a plurality of access points AP, wherein the AC and the plurality of APs constitute a virtual multi-link device virtual MLD; the device comprises: A control module, used for controlling the multiple APs to send the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD to the terminal device; the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD includes the link frequency bands provided by the multiple APs; controlling the target AP to establish a multi-link connection with the terminal device after receiving the authentication request frame and the association request frame sent by the terminal device; the authentication request frame and the association request frame are generated by the terminal device according to the complete configuration information of the virtual MLD; controlling the multiple APs to transmit data with the terminal device through the multi-link.

10. A computer device, characterized in that: The computer device includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the method for implementing the multi-link operation according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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